Fixing devices for ceiling forming sheets or foils



Sept. 14, 1965 K. P. FRISK 3,205,628

FIXING DEVICES FOR CEILING FORMING SHEETS 0R FOILS Filed Oct. 16, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 K. P. FRISK Sept. 14, I965 FIXING DEVICES FOR CEILING FORMING SHEETS OR FOILS Filed Oct. 16, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG 7 WIIIIII/IIIII/i/I Ill INVENTOR.

United States Patent 3,205,628 FIXING DEVICES FOR CEILING FORMING SHEETS 0R FOILS Karl Per Frislr, Hagahojden C., Gamleby, Sweden, assignor to AB Barracndaverken, a corporation of Sweden Filed Oct. 16, 1961, Ser. No. 145,341 Claims priority, application Sweden, Oct. 18, 1960, 9957/60 1 Claim. ((31. 52222) The present invention relates to devices for fixing a thin sheet or foil of elastic material such as plastic between opposite walls of a room in a building structure.

The object of the invention is to facilitate the mounting and stretching of such a sheet or foil between the walls of a room to form a ceiling covering surface.

In accordance with the present invention the fixing device comprises a fixing strip which includes a hookforming sectional locking portion and is secured to the building structure at the corner of the ceiling and a side wall of the room, and a profiled strip of flexible material secured to the edge portion of the sheet to be fixed to said fixing strip, said profiled strip having a free sectional edge portion forming a hook adapted to engage said locking portion of said fixing strip.

The fixing strip may be a longitudinally extending section member of resilient material such as sheet metal or plastic, or it may consist of a lath provided with a strip of resilient material such as sheet metal to constitute the hook-forming sectional locking portion of the fixing strip.

The profiled strip secured to the edge portion of a sheet of plastic is preferably of plastic and welded to the plastic sheet. The plastic sheet may be readily formed by welding together pieces of plastic sheets or plastic foils. The length of the plastic sheet is smaller than the length of the room in order to obtain a smooth surface by stretching the sheet in connection with securing its profiled edge strips to the fixing strips.

To move the profiled edge strips into engagement with the hook-forming portions of the fixing strips two shovels having straight edges may be alternately used. The straight edge of the shovel is pressed against the hook of the strip and thereafter the strip is forced into locking engagement with the hook-portion of the fixing strip.

These and other features of the invention will be disclosed more in detail in conjunction with the following descrpition of some embodiments of locking device according to the invention shown in the accompanying drawings by way of example.

FIGS. 1 to are diagrammatic perspective views of one edge of a thin plastic sheet or foil provided at its edge portion with a hook-shaped strip of flexible plastic material which may have V- or U-section and is adapted to be coupled to fixing strips having various forms of hook-forming portions as shown.

FIGS. 6 is a transverse or longitudinal section view of a ceiling and a plastic sheet or foil located below the ceiling and stretched for securing its edge strips to fixing strips located at the corners between the walls and the ceiling of the room. In this figure an unstretched foil is shown in a separate detail view below the mounted foil.

FIG. 7 is a diagrammatic perspective view of one of the fixing strips or laths shown in FIG. 6 and illustrates how the edge strip may be forced into locking position by means of a tool such as a shovel.

In FIGURES 1 to 5 the ceiling 1 and the walls 2 of the room as well as the corner 3 of the ceiling and the wall shown are indicated by dotted lines. In FIGS. 6 and 7 the ceiling 1 and walls 2 are illustrated as made of concrete although they may be of other material such as wood.

See

As shown in the separate detail sketch in FIG. 6, before mounting to the fixing laths on opposite walls of the room the sheet 4' has a length A which is smaller than the distance between the hook-forming portions of the fixing laths shown. The mounted sheet or foil 4 is stretched in all directions to obtain a smooth surface.

If the room is of rectangular form the plastic foil 4' is also rectangular and has at each of its four edges an edge strip 5 of flexible material such as plastic which may be stretched in its longitudinal direction. This profiled strip has a free sectional edge portion substantially U- shaped as in FIG. 6 or V-shaped as in FIGS. 1 to 5 and 7 to form a longer fiat portion 5a (FIG. 7) secured by welding 50 to the sheet 4 or 4 and a hook-forming shorter free end portion 50 directed downwardly. The hook 5b is inclined rearwardly below the fiat portion 5a in the V-shaped forms of strip 5 whereas corresponding hookportion extends substantially parallel with the flat portion in the U-shaped form of strip 5 shown in the detail sketch of FIG. 6.

In FIG. 7 is shown an edge strip secured to the sheet 4 and formed at its free edge with two hooks 6 and 7 on opposite sides of the flat strip portion.

At the corners of ceiling 1 and walls 2 of the room are longitudinally extending fixing members having hookforming sectional portions for retaining the edge strips 5 in locking position. These fixing members may be made in one piece as in FIGS. 1, 3-5, or in two or more pieces connected to each other as in FIGS. 2 and 6. The common feature of all these embodiments is however that they include a sectional portion having a free edge on an upwardly extending member to form a hook-like member for engagement with the hook of edge strip 5 on sheet 4. This free edge is preferably located close below an abutment member to form a narrow longitudinally extending entrance slot for edge strip 5. This abutment may be formed by the surface of ceiling 1 or by a part fixed to the ceiling or may be located in a groove in a lath such as shown in FIG. 6 preferably the entrance slot is so narrow that the hook-member 5b of strip 5 must be bent towards the flat portion 5a when passing through said slot in order to obtain a snap action and thereby a safety locking of the strip 55 in its mounted position.

The hook of the fixing member is preferably a resilient strip of metal or plastic which will be bent somewhat when forcingthe strip 5 through the entrance slot. The tension forces in the sheet as stretched will then tend to withdraw the strip 5 out of engagement but this will be prevented by the self-locking action which is obtained when the hook of strip 5 bends the hook of the fixing member outwardly which is then with its free edge brought into contact with the flat portion of strip 5 and presses the same against said abutment. Particularly when the strip 5 is of relatively soft plastic material the entrance slot should be kept as narrow as possible to obtain a safe coupling. Alternatively the free edge of said resilient strip may in its free condition rest against said abutment.

The fixing member is preferably secured to the ceiling 1 and/or the walls 2 by means of nails as shown in the drawings.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 the fixing member is a profiled strip 8 of resilient sheet metal secured to ceiling 1 by means of nails. Below strip 8 is a cover molding nailed to the wall 2 and having a top surface located at some distance below or in contact with the strip 8. At its outer edge strip 8 is formed with a hook 11 directed upwardly and in engagement with edge strip 5 of the sheet 4.

In FIG. 2 the cover molding 9 has a recess 12 in its top surface for supporting and securing a horizontal leg 14 of hook 11 of the fixing strip. The remaining portion 13 of the top surface of the cover molding forms a distance member which determines the space between the ceiling and the recess 12 and thereby the width of the entrance slot between the ceiling and the upper free edge of hook 11. V

In FIG. 3 the cover molding 9 has a recess 13 in its back surface for receiving an extension 16 of the fixing strip which has a bent portion forming a distance member in the same manner as portion 13 in FIG. 2.

In FIG. 4 the fixing strip is formed with upwardly di reeted lugs 13 which are embedded and secured inthe concrete of ceiling 1.

In FIG. the fixing member and the cover molding are made in one piece which at its outer edge is formed with a hook-shaped projection 18 coupled together with strip 5 of sheet 4. This cover molding has also an edge portion 19 forming a distance member to locate hook 18 at a certain height below the ceiling 1. p

In FIGS. 6 and 7 fixing members in the form of two laths 23 are secured at opposite corners 3 of ceiling 1 and opposite walls 2. I

As shown in the figures each lath 23 is provided with a longitudinally extending groove 26 opening laterally to receive edge strip 5 of sheet 4. The lower edge portion 27 at the mouth of the groove is somewhat oifset rearwardly in relation to the upper edge portion 28 in order to facilitate the insertion of strip 5 into the groove and also to form a rigid abutment for the strip of sufficient length. The groove is preferably directed inclined upwardly in the lath as shown in the drawing.

A resilient metal strip 29 is nailed to the front side of the lower edge portion 27 and extends with its upper end portion transversely into the groove 28. The free upper edge of strip 29 is located near to the upper side wall of groove 26 to form a narrow entrance opening for edge strip 5. The upper end portion of strip 29 is bent somewhat inwardly in the groove to form a hook-like member. a

When all edges of the sheet 4 has been forced into engagement with the strips 29 of the laths- 23 along the corners 3, the sheet has been stretched to form a smooth surface. Next step is to secure the cover moldings 24 in place as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7. Each cover molding has an inner edge portion 30 which extends upwardly in front of strip 29 for concealing the same.

In FIG. 7 is also shown a simple tool for mounting the sheet 4. This tool is a shovel 31 with a straight front edge which is placed against hook 5b of strip 5 to force the same through the entrance opening at the fixing member in any of the embodiments shown in the drawings.

Accordingly, the edge strip is used not only as a coupling member but also as a support for the mounting tool.

The sheet forms now a ceiling surface which is smooth and which needs no further treatment since it has preferably a dulled surface in order to give the same impression, as far as possible, as a conventional ceiling. The sheet may also be patterned.

What is claimed is:

In a room having vertical walls and a horizontal ceiling, a ceiling covering sheet of elastic plastic material stretched taut to form a smooth surface below said ceiling, fastening strips of plastic material secured to all edges of said sheet and extending along the length of said edges, each strip having a hook-like cross-section with one leg in the form of a web secured to said sheet and the other leg being located below said web to form a fastening member, horizontally extending attachment means secured to said Walls and engaging said fastening strips, each attachment means having a back portion resting against the adjacent wall and a front portion, a horizontally extending slot in said front portion receiving said fastening strip, said slot being defined by an upper and a lower member, said upper member forming a slide sur- YI face for said fastening strip when said fastening strip is inserted into said slot, said lower member comprising a resilient strip which in cross-section ends in a locking edge located below said upper member which extends beyond said locking edge, the web of said fastening strip resting against said upper member and said other leg of said fastening strip being snapped over said locking edge and held in a firm grip therewith when said fastening strip presses said web against said upper member.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1.959,262 5/ 34 Colabrese. 2,118,998 5/38 Alnutt 20-4 2,302,547 11/42 Hasenburger 20-4 2,329,561 9/43 Shuttleworth 20-4 2,755,484 7/56 Hotz 501-44 X 2,925,862 2/60 Sundby 160354 2,983,298 5/61 Grothe -52 3,114,218 12/63 Macquere 50268 FOREIGN PATENTS 800,911 12/ 5 0 Germany.

808,626 7/51 Germany.

850,385 10/60 Great Britain.

JACOB L. MACKENOFE'Primz/zry Examiner. EARL J. WITMER, Examiner. 

